Improvement in turn-bridges and turn-tables



D.- BLANGHARD. Turn-Bridge and Turn-Table.

Patented Dec. 9, i879.

. the details.

which the rollers .turn are adjustable in height, so that the bridge may be raised and lowered I to secure the best position or to compensatefor settling. My adjusting means allow one side of thebridgeto be raised without the other. The rollers are mounted on rigidlpins projecting from an internal frame or spider, and provided 11 witha loose sectional connection forming a f flring outside of therollers. This attains im- 1 portant ends described-farther on. The wheels "outsideare mounted in pairs tilting on a center, and each pair of wheels is adj ustablein 1 1 U height to allow'its'beingheld in thedesired'con-l i -dition,not bearing any of. theweight whileth'e i bridge is properly balanced, but ready tobear -f immjediately if the bridge isloaded unequally 3 right angles to Fig.'-10.i

UNITED ST T S I DUDLEYBLANOHARD, on BROOKL N, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AND JOHN H. OBOURKE, on SAME PLACE.

PATENT outrun...

IMSELF IMPROVEMENT'IN TU RN-fBRl DG-ES .AND TU RN-TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,375, dated December 9, 1879; applicatioiifiled September 11, 1879. i ii Toall whom it may concern Be it known that I, DUDLEY BLANcHAnn,

, of Brooklyn. Kings county, in the State-of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements relating to Turn-Bridges and Turn-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

Lhave devised important improvements in The'central rings or tracks on The accompanying drawings iform spa ter q i this specification, and :represent what I considerthe bestymeans of carryingo ut. the in-..

Vent-ion. i

Figure 1 is a plan view. 2 is an endview. The remaining figures represent details detachedJ Fig.3 represents the centralpivot and base of same in elevation. Figs et'ando; are plan viewsof the upper and lowerwaysor plates, and Fig. 5 acentralflverticagjsection of either. Fig. 7: is a plan view of thespiderland -1 "conneotions,and Fig. Sjis aicentralvertical ffTsection of thesame onthe line S 'S." JFig. 9 represents the plate or. strap. connectingthe axles of every two rollers inisideland topview. Fig. 10 isa side view iof 'one of the outer trucks, and Fig. v11 is aview'ot' the same at p e i V 'wardibythe loa'd causes the eorresponding of bolts or threaded connections, PQ. '7

y The screws P are tapped through the-'cast ing L, and bear against a plate on the under "side of the bridge-H. These takefthe load when in the use of the bridge it bears heavily on the truck. The screws Q are insertediloosely Similar letters of reference indicate corre-] sponding parts in all the figures. j A is a foundation of masonry orothersubstantial material. B is a stout bed-casting resting thereon. It supports a stout accurately-turned central pivot, M, to which. the

several members above are adaptedto fit closely and be truly centered thereby. The casting B is also formed with holesto receive a series of stout jack-screws, O, whichare tapped through nuts c, resting on the casting 1 B. The tops of the screws O. are slightly j rounded, and the entire series formsa level surface to support the lower ring or way D.

, E E, &c.,' areconical rollers of steel'orothcr suitable material mounted on rigid pins f pro jecting radially from a loose revolving casting or spider, F. G is an upper way resting on the rollers E, and bearing the weight of the bridge. The bridge may beof any ordinary or suitable construction. by the single letter '11. A strongly-secured casting, h, is formed with a truly-bored hole, 7

which receives the centrally. i e

y I is a circular track, concentricto thepiu M," 1 and? strongly supported.

pin M and holds the whole ,They are mounted in pairs in tilting trucksiK,

which oscillate on horizontal shafts or centers" Jgjwhich are held by straps l in 'bearingsj'in I stoutcastings L. The latter aresecu'redat.

i the proper points to the bridge H by twofscts" through the casting L'and tapped-intofthe bridge.

Inturning the bridge around,,the trucks tilt, asfrequired, to accommodate any inequaliv ties inthetrack I, and are adjustedfupfand down by the boltsQP Q, sothattheiri'whe'elsJ run closetoor slightly touch the track ,gbut

without supporting the bridge th ereon except when one end or part of the bridge is heavily loaded. Then thatpart being deflected'down;

1 will designate it.

JJj/are ,wheels, 4 adapted to follow each other on the" track I.

truck K to perform its function of aiding to support the load.

The distribution of the load by the tilting trucks K is important to compensate for inequalities iu the track as well when the bridge is stationary as when it is being turned.

The adjustment by the bolts P Q is important to carry the several trucks accurately at the proper elevation.

The screws 0 form a means for adjusting the central work, and consequently the entire bridge, up and down, as required, and also of raising one end or one side without the other.

I esteem it important that the castings D G be of moderate size, so that they can be each formed in a single castiu g, and accurately turned in large lathes; but I prefer for bridges, or turn-tables carrying great loads, to make them of as large diameter as is convenient.

The number and size of the screws 0 may vary with the load.

The entire bridge may be raised by applying a long fork-wrench to the square part near the top of each screw, and turning each a little. If it be required to raise one side more than the other, the turning may be correspondingly manipulated.

A difticulty has been found in adjusting the rollers in this class of bridges. The conical form of the rollers and of their bearings upon the ways D G allows the bearing-strain on each to be adjusted by setting it inward or outward on its radial pin or axle f. There is a tendency in each to crowd outward. I resist this by a strong nut,F, and jam-nut F These may be adjusted outward and inward, and caused to correspondingly adjust the roller; but the strong pressure of the roller against the nut induces a tendency to turn, which it is important to resist by an interposed plate which cannot turn, but which will at the same time offer no obstacle to the adjusting of the rollers outward and inward. I attain this by plates R, which are loosely coupled or spliced together by flanges r, aided by screw-bolts, (not shown,) it such shall befound expedient. The flanges 1 hold the plates R stiffly, so as to form a proper circular series, a practicallycontinuous but yielding strap, and thus relieve the nuts from being turned, while they also allow an end motion of each plate relatively to its neighbor, which is made available when the nuts are adjusted outward or inward. A continuous hoop could not allow the same adjusting action.

Modifications may be made without sacrificing the advantages of theinvention. I can introduce screw-bolts or other means by greatly tightening the junction of the several plates B when their correct position has been attained. This will allow the plates R to somewhat brace the outer ends of the pins or axles f.

Wedges, with proper meansfor holding them accurately in position, may be used with success instead of screws in one or both places.

The central pin,M, may be castin one with the bed-castin g B, or it'may be forged of wroughtiron or steel and inserted in the mold so as to be united with the casting in the act of producin g the latter, or it may be keyed in a hole formed in the casting.

It will be understood that in supporting large bridges both the sets of rollers or wheels E and J will traverse on the central pier.

There may be other ordinary bearing-rolls to take the extreme ends of the bridge and relieve the friction thereof when the bridge is nearly in position.

There may be anti-friction rolls between the spider F and the central pin M. The latter may be made of uniformdiameter throughout, or made with one or more ofl'sets, so that the portion at the top which enters the bridge H shall be considerably smaller than the part below. It may be hollow.

Any ordinary or suitable means may be availed of to induce the turning motion of the bridge.

I am aware that adjusting jack-screws have before been interposed between the bridge and the upper roller bearing-plate, and such arrangement of parts is not sought to be broadly covered in this application.

It is better to place the screws 0 under than over the ways D G, because it is easier to form sufiicient depth of metal to hold them in the stationary than in the revolving part. There is no objection to making the screws and t 1eir holding-ground as massive as any exigency shall ever require.

I claim as my invention 1. The circular series of adjusting-screws G, tapped into the stationary casting B, or into nuts 0, resting thereon, as shown, in combination with the way D, rollers E, and way G, supporting the bridge H, as herein specified.

2. The plates or sectional strap R r, in combination with the rollers E, spider F f, and nuts F, adapted for use in connection with a bridge or turn table, H, as herein specified.

3. The turning bridge or table H, central pin M, inner series or anti-friction bearing mcans, D E G, outer series of bearing means, I J, and tilting trucks K,free to rock on the centers k, all combined and arranged for joint operation, as and for the purposes herein specified.

4. In a turn-bridge or turn-table having a central pivot, M, and approximately central bearing-rolls, E, the outer rolls or wheels, I, mounted in a suitable truck frame, in combination with each other and with adjustingscrews P Q, for adjusting each set of the latter, as and'tor the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of September, 1879, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DUDLEY BLANGHARD.

Witnesses THOMAS D. STETSON, CHARLES C. STETsoN. 

